Grass shears



April l, 1941.

J. L SMITH GRASS SHEARS Filed May 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Justin Lmith.

April 1, 1941.

J. L. sMlTH 2.237.238

l GRASS sHEARs Filed May 5, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Justin Lmilh.

rATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 1941 GRASS SHEARS v Justin L. Smith, Watertown, Conn., assignor to Seymour Smith & Son, Inc., Oakville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application May 3, 1939, Serial No. 271,544

6 Claims. (Cl. SII- 244) This invention relates to garden implements, and more particularly to improvements in shears adapted for use in trimming grass, shrubs, and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide a pair of grass shears of the type where the blades operate in a horizontal plane and the bladeactuating handles swing in a vertical plane.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved shears of the above nature which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efcient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a pair of grass shears embodying the features and principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear sectional view showdles I2 and I3 are preferably formed from sheet ing a modied form of grass shears having a brace strip to reinforce the upper handle member.

Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged rear sectional views showing grass shears having two modified forms of handle reinforcing members.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional View of still :i

another modified form of grass cutting shears, taken on the line 9,-9 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a broken sectional view taken on the line Ill- I0 of Fig. 9.

Referring now to the dTaWIlgs wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals I0 and II denote a pair of shear blades arranged to swing in a horizontal plane, and. the numerals I2. and I3 denote blade-actuating nested handles arranged to swing in a vertical plane. A pin I3a extends upwardly from the rear of the lower handle I3 toward the upper handle I2 to limit the closing movements thereof, and a wire hook for metal into U-shaped cross-section, and the forward end I5 of the lower handle I3 is vadapted to be embraced between the legs at the forward end I6 of the upper handle I2,-said handles being pivoted together by a horizontal bolt I'l which passes through .fboth of said forward sections.

The shear blades I il and II are pivoted together by a vertical spindle I8 which is xedly secured to the lower blade Il) by having its lower end I9 headed over or riveted thereon to rigidly clamp said lower blade iii against a circular shoulder 20 which iits freely within a circular aperture formed inthe upper blade II. A collar 2I is formed on the spindle i8 above said shoulder 20 and serves to prevent the blades IEB and II from springing apart in the normal operation of the shears. From the collar 2|, the spindle I8 extends upwardly and passes loosely through a circular opening 22 provided in the front end I5 of the lower handle I3.

In order to urge the blades Iii and II toward the open position shown in Fig. l, provision is made of a coiled spring 23, having diverging forward ends 24 and 25 extended forwardly over the blades I0 and Il respectively, and having curved extremities engaged under a pair of headed studs 2S and 21 respectively. Co-opery ating tongues 28 and 29 are preferably formed on the rear ends of the blades IIB and II respectively to limit the automatic opening movements of the blades by the action of the spring 23.

The upper channel-shaped handle i2 extendsforwardly and downwardly over the spindle I8 to a point closely adjacent the blades I0 and II, and has a pair of flat side feet 30 and 3| which laterally engage said blades behind the spindle I8. As herein shown, the foot 3i) is arranged i to seat upon the lower blade I0 and the foot 3| is arranged to -seat upon the upper blade II. Also the lower forward edge 32 of the upper handle I2 is spaced slightly from the blades I 0 and II to permit'the inclined ends 24 and 25 of the spring 23 to extend forwardly thereunder.

The front of the upper handle I2 is closed at its lower end 33 adjacent the-blades II) and II to form a rigid `connection between the side feet l 30 and 3l, and thereby resist forces which tend to spring apart said feet laterally during the normal operation of the shear.

The horizontal portions ofthe feet 32 and 3| are pivoted to the blades I0 and II respectively by a pair of headed bolts or pins 34 and 35 which iit tightly in said feet 30 and 3I, and have loose sliding fits in a pair of transverse short slots 35 and 31 formed in the blades ID and II respectively (see Fig. 4). The arrangement is such that when the blades I I and I are being closed, the rear end portions 28 and 29 of the blades I 0 and I I are adapted to slide outwardly between the horizontal portions of the feet 30 and 3l and the heads 4I! and 4I of the pivot bolts 34 and 35 respectively, which are located under said blades.

In the modied form of shear Shown in Fig. 6, a reinforcing metal plate is provided which has its respective ends disposed between the feet 30 and 3| and the blades I0 and II--a spacing washer 43 being provided beneath vthe foot 30. The center of the reinforcing plate 42 is engaged by the spring 23, and may be spot-welded at its ends to said feet if desired.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, provision is made of a U-shaped reinforcing strip of metal 44 having upturned inwardly-inclined arms 45 and 46, which are spot-welded to the ared sides 41 and 48 of the front end I6 of the upper handle Fig. 8 illustrates a modification in which an L-shaped reinforcing strip 43 is used in place of the U-shaped strip 44. 'Ihe L-shaped strip 49 has a single inclined upturnedarm 50 which is spot-welded to the ared end I6 of the handle, and the fiat end I of said strip is disposed beneath the foot 3| and secured thereto by the pivot bolt 35. shown in Fig. 6, the at end 5I may be spotwelded to the foot 3| if desired.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 9 andl0, the vertical side pivot bolts 34 and 35 fit snugly in a pair of circular openings 52 and 53 formed in the rear end portions 38 and 39 of the blades I0 and II respectively, and serve to tightly clamp the feet 30 and 3| thereto. In this form, a short transverse slot 54 is provided in the upper blade I I through which the center pivot spindle I8 extends to permit lateral sliding of this blade with respect to the lower blade II! when the shears are operated. As in the rst form of the invention Shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the upper blade I I is freely rotatable on the spindle I8, while the blade I0 is rigidly clamped thereto-this construction preventing tilting of said spindle.

Operation In operation, when the resilient hook I4 is released from the end of the handle I3, the blades 20 and I I and the handles I2 and I3 will be automatically forced apart to open position by the spring 23. The handles will then be grasped in the hand of the user, and while held in a vertical plane, will be pressed` together to close the blades I0 and I I and sever the grass or other material located therebetween. During this oper ation the forward end I5 of the lower handle I3 pulls upon the spindle I8 and slides it rearwardly, causing the blades I 0 and I I to be swung upon the spindle I8 to closed position. During this operation the rear ends 28 and 29 of the blades will be forced apart and caused to slide laterally between the confining surfaces of the feet 30 and. 3I and the bolt heads 40 and 4I.

While there have been disclosed in this specication several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied, it isto be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the speciiic disclosures, but may As in the previously described form,

without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modiiications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

l. In a grass shear, a pair of superimposed blades pivotally connected together at their rear ends, a pair of blade-actuating handlesoperable inA a plane substantially at right-angles to the plane of said blades, the pivot pin which connects said blades being rigidly secured to the lower blade and passing upwardly through and loosely fitted in the upper blade, means for operatively connecting the lower handle to the upper part of said pivot pin, the upper handle being channelshaped and having a pair of iiat horizontal feet loosely and slidably secured to said blades respectively, one on each side of said pivot pin, and means for rigidly connecting said feet together whereby said feet will not be spread apart during normal closing of said shears.

2. In a grass shears, a pair of spring-pressed superposed blades swingable in a plane, said blades being pivotally connected together by a spindle located at right-angles thereto, a pair of pivotally connected blade actuating handles swingable in a plane at right-angles to the plane of said blades, one of said handles being channelshaped and embracing the other, said inner handle having a loose engagement with said spindle to slide it rearwardly to close the blades when said handles are pressed together, said outer handle having a pair of iiat feet members connected to said blades by a pair of pivot pins, and a ilat U-shaped reinforcing plate secured to the sides of said channel-shaped handle and embracing said spindle to brace said channel-shaped handle from laterally spreading during normal operation of said shears.

3. In a grass shears, a pair of pivotally connected superposed blades operable in a substantially horizontal plane, a pair of pivotally c'onnected blade-actuating nested handles operable in a substantially vertical plane, spring means to urge said blades and handles into open position, a pivot spindle xedly secured to the lowermost of said blades and pivotally mounted in the upper blade, a collar on said spindle for holding said blades in close lcontact with each other, the lowermost of said handles operatively engaging the upper part of said spindle, the outer handle having a pair of spaced apart substantially horizontal feet pivotally connected to the rear of said blades, said feet being rigidly tied together by means above said blades to prevent them from laterally spreading apart during normal closing of said shears, said upper blade having a transverse elongated slot surrounding said pivot spindle.

4 In a grass shears, a pair of superimposed blades connected together at their rear ends by -a pivot pin, a pair of superimposedl blade actuating handles operable in a plane at right-angles to the planes of said blades, said pivot pin being rigidly secured to the bottom blade and passing loosely y through the upper blade, the upper of said handles being channel-shaped and having a downturned substantially vertical front endwhich is closed to embrace the interior operating parts, said upper handle also having a pair of flat side horizontal feet below said closed end and pivotally connected to said blades, said feet pivots being be modified and' embodied in varCuS Other forms 75 held rigid and prevented from lateral spreading during the closing of said shears by the closed forward end of said upper handle.

5. In a grass shears, a pair of superimposed blades connected together at their rear ends by a pivot pin, a pair of superimposed blade actuating handles operable in a plane at right-angles to the planes of said blades, said pivot pin being rigidly secured to the bottom blade and passing loosely through the upper blade, the upper of said handles being channel-shaped and having a downturned substantially vertical front end which is closed to embrace the interior operating parts, said upper handle also having a pair of at side horizontal feet below said closed endand pivotally connected to said blades.

6. In a grass shears, a pair of superimposed blades connected together at their rear ends by a pivot pin, a pair of superimposed blade actuating handles operable in a plane at right-angles to the planes of said blades, said pivot pinr being rigidly secured to the bottom blade and passing through the upper blade, the upper of said handles being channel-shaped and having a downturned substantially vertical front end which is closed to embrace the interior operating parts, said upper handle also having a pair of flat side horizontal feet belowv said closed end and pivotally and loosely connected to 4said blades, said feet pivots being held rigid and prevented from lateral spreading during the closingof said shears by thev yclosed forward end of said upper handle.

JUSTIN L. SMITH. 

